DUNSEITH, N.D. — Following his testimony before a state Senate committee on Wednesday, Feb. 5, the chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians said he’s cautiously optimistic for the future of a proposed resort in Grand Forks.
Jamie Azure said the resort, which will include a Class III casino, conference facilities and family entertainment, is one of the top things on his mind alongside the forward momentum on a 10-year economic development plan that will enhance the offerings of Sky Dancer Casino and Hotel in the Turtle Mountains.
“All of that is fresh in my mind,” he said. “I’ve just got so much going on in my head right now.”
Azure testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Bismarck
on Wednesday
in favor of Senate Bill 2376, which would allow the Turtle Mountain Band to expand beyond its borders to build the casino along the southern side of Grand Forks. Azure said he wasn’t sure if he was going to provide testimony, but ended up doing so. Members of the Grand Forks government — including Mayor Brandon Bochenski and members of the City Council and Grand Forks County Commission — were also there. Azure said in order for anything to happen in regard to the resort, everyone has to be on board, and the tribe has had great communication with the city so far.
Azure said there is some information and knowledge that needs to be shared with local people to create a better understanding of the resort. It isn’t just a casino, he said, but is planned to be a minimum four-star resort with a number of amenities, one of which happens to be a gaming floor. The complex also will be a well-thought-out plan with data behind it, he said, and isn’t meant to target Grand Forks residents, but rather people driving by.
“The target market is to capture the dollars that are driving by on I-29 and going out of state,” he said. “The people that go to resorts aren’t the people that are in the communities. We’re targeting people that are planning vacations that are driving by.”
The project will also be a long process, about two to three years, he said. The
letter of intent
approved by the Grand Forks City Council for the resort is probably “step seven out of 547,” he said.
Another long-term plan on Azure’s mind is a 10-year economic development plan, which started with the Turtle Island Water Park that opened a year and a half ago, he said. The water park, which is inside Sky Dancer Casino and Resort’s hotel in Belcourt, was phase one of the project, and the soon-to-open Sky High Trampoline Park is phase two. The trampoline park is across the parking lot from the hotel and, when it opens, the tribe can move on to a master plan for a bowling alley and movie theater. The 10-year development will encompass Sky Dancer, Azure said, and is all self-funded. By the end, everything would be connected, meaning once people enter Sky Dancer, they can stay inside for the whole time they are there.
The Belcourt resort has been doing well for itself, Azure said, and with profits it has been able to raise minimum wage for all employees up to $15. The water park was meant to provide jobs for teenagers and young adults, and with the new minimum wage, the young employees are able to contribute to a 401(k) within months of starting.
“So we’re also teaching financial literacy to our young workforce,” Azure said.
Otto is the region reporter for the Grand Forks Herald.
